At the foot of Courchevel and within striking distance of Méribel, La Plagne, Tignes, Val-d’Isère and Val Thorens, the pretty Savoie village of Bozel is arguably located in one of the most well-known skiing locations in all of Europe. Yet, while it’s cunning of the local campsite to re-open it’s wooden chalets in winter – complete with log burners, en-suite bathrooms and everything you need for a skiing holiday – it’s the vast spread of summer pitches that really make this place stand out. Great grassy terraces are bordered by birch and pine trees, with views of snow-capped Mont Jovet across the valley, and campers spread their tents in the full glory of the summer sun. On a warm day, it’s mountain camping heaven.
Bought by the Huttopia group in 2018, the 10-acre campsite has long been an established spot in the valley and is comprised of several different grass terraces with drinking water points dotted around and electricity on most of the pitches. Tired facilities have now been given a bit of a Huttopia face-lift (better showers, disabled facilities and a laundry room) but otherwise the campsite remains relatively back-to-basics. After all, why build a swimming pool when it’s a 10-minute walk to the village’s popular swimming lake?
Bozel itself is a pleasant Savoyard village, though quiet outside of the peak summer and winter seasons. It has the essential staples of a good coffee shop, an outdoors equipment store and a bakery that delivers fresh bread and croissants to the campsite reception if you place your order the day before.
Elsewhere, the river that carves its way through this valley, the Doron, is popular for kayaking when the water level is high enough (the tourist office has plenty of information on kayaking, canoeing and rafting if you want to book yourself in), while the local ski resorts all transform themselves into mountain-biking Meccas come summer. The boundary to the vast Vanoise National Park is a few metres from the campsite, so you really do have a wild and protected space beyond, with walking trails aplenty. If you are looking for a gentle hike, the Sentier des Vignes takes you to Brides-Les-Bains along a south-facing ledge with spectacular views. Be sure to bring the binoculars.